Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-09
A CAVE OF GOLD.
The story OF IA Pannsylvaniau's Find
Among the Snow Mountains.
Laramie Boomernng.l

On the northern border OF the great Ma
tional Park, where rise the towering peaks
OF the Snow mountains, there has long lived
a man known as "The Wanderer.' This
nan has never had, in the many years he
has been known to the hunters and trappers
of the region, any settled habitation, but
has wandered backward and forward
thu rough the Snow mountains, apparently
ever on the search for something.
Scattered through the mountains he had
several rude huts in which he sOiOurned
for few days at time, only to take up
again the weary circle OF bis endless search.
BY the men OF rifle and trap he had long
been considered crazy, and the Indians Of
the section have evidently thought the same
OF him. and, with the wel-known pity en-
tertained by the red tribes for those men,
tally afflicted by the Great Spirit, have
never moleSled him IN any way. The old
man was found in one OF his numerous
hating places by party OF hunters several
DAYS after his wandenngs had ceased for
ever.
An examination of the papers on his
person showed that his had been madness
Iull of method, and revealed a tale before
which the story Of Ali Baba and the rob-
bers' cave pale into insigniiicance. The
old man, whose name was ascertained to
be Arthur Bethany, though he had pro-
badly not heard 1t called for a score OF
years, came to the Snow mountains twen-
iy.fiye years ago in the prime OF vigor
and of youthful manhood.
native Of Pennsylvania, hts youthful
blood had been fired by accounts OF the
great West, and he had started TO the new
country, joining an exploring and hunting
- fra fa,l
into Wyoming, passed through the Big
Horn Basin, and in the late fall OF 1851
found themselves on the head waters OF the
Clarke fork Of the Yellowstone. Follow.
Ing I'D the Clarke Fork they soon came
TO the canon Of the stream, and, enter
ing il, passed through and came out
among the mountains in the confines
OF the great National Park. Here they
inaugurated a grand hunt among the
mountain game they found so plentiful.
One day Bethany wandered away from
the party In pursuit OF bear he had
wounded, and followed the trail into the
Snow mountains. In deep and rocky
gorge he ran his game to earth and saw him
enter an opening in the side Of the gorge.
On approaching the opening he saw that 1t
must lead into a cavern OF considerable eX
tent, and at once boldly followed the game.
lie soon found the bear just dead from its
wounds.
But where did he lind 1t? In the midst
Of sceneOf dazzling splendOr. The entire
interior OF the cavern was a mass OF virgin
gold, studded with dazzling gems. From
seams overhead there came only a small
amount OF light and in the seml-Obscurity
The gems gave forth luminous rays and the
ta
sheen. Scarcely able TO believe the
evidence Of his senses, Bethany eX-
amined the precious stones of the
cavern at first with fear and trem-
bling, aud then with the widest trans
ports OF Joy. In the narrow, rocky seams
which traversed the golden mass OF the
cavern walls be recognized the diamonds
brilliant white, the red fame OF the ruby,
and the flashes OF the beautiful BLUSH
green peculiar to the turquoise. With head
in wbrl and heart beating unanimously
BctbsnDy left the gorgeous cavern to tell
his comrades OF his extraordinary dis
coyery, for there was enough riches there
to make them all Rothschids; but
scarcely had he emerged from the cavern
when be found himself enyeloped IN
sudden and whirllng mountain snow
storm. In vain he tried again to ind the
cavern entrance, and in his search he must
have wandered far away from the locality.
All night the storm ragged, and when NORM
ing broke, cold and gray, he found that he
was hopelessiy lost. The snow covered the
ground to depth OF many inches, and ne
could neither lind the cave nor bis way back
10 his companions. To be briet, he passed
the long winter amid the deep mountain
SHOWS, and when spring came at last he re-
nowed bis search for the cavern Of gold aud
gems. aud searched for II I'LL the day he lay
down to die, two months ago.